Lajja (Shame) - Taslima Nasrin

I find it really hard to get through poorly written books, or books written by non-writers, even if they have something good to say. There is a reason why there is a difference between the 'biography' and the 'autobiography' section in the bookshop. Not everyone who has an interesting life has the ability to tell the story themselves, and there is no shame in enlisting help to do so.

That's what should have happened with this book. It tells the story of a Hindu family in Dhaka, Bangladesh during a time of religious fanaticism which saw Hindus become the focus of persecution for a time. It's not quite fictional, but a lot of the content is based on historical fact, and there is no doubt it's a troubling read. The trouble is, it's a bad read, and I forced my way through it only because I was stuck on a ferry with little other option.

Don't rush out to bookstores to get your hands on this one.